Terrazzo flooring



B. O. A. DE PAOLI.

TERRAZZO FLOORING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 1919.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

" mim ATTORNEY B. O. A. DE PAOLI.

TERRAZZO FLOORING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 1919.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I INVENTOR @Wwo A-QlkoQ/L 9J4 ATTORNEY a citizen of the ofa PATE

NT OFFICE.

BRUNO O. A. DE PAOLL. 0F PALISADE, NEW JERSEY.

TEBRAZZO FLOORIlVG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Application filed November'22, 1919. Serial No. 339,920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRUNO O. A. DnPAoLi, United States, residing at Palisade, county of Bergen, State of New Jersey, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Terrazzo Flooring, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to terrazzo flooring.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction of terrazzo or crushed marble flooring which is simple, eflicient and economical.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flooring of the character referred to wherein provision is made for avoiding the occurrence of cracks due to ex ansion and contraction of the frame work, ooring, or floor supports of the building in which the flooring is employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flooring of the character referred to wherein in case of contraction or expansion of the frame work, floor support, or the like, of the building, an resulting seam formed in the terrazzo ooring will be formed along regular lines without leaving rough or irregular lines of cleavage.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location, and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1ng:-

Figure 1 is a view partly in perspective, partly broken out and in section, showing a terrazzo flooring constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken detail view in section portion of a flooring showing a modified form of paneling strip employed in con nection with my invention.

Fig. 3 is a similarview showing another modified form of paneling strip embodying my invention. v

Fig. 4 is a detached broken detail view of a portion of the form of paneling strip 1g. 5 1s a slmilar view showing the form of I ing various arrangements of the paneling According to the present practice emable material which is placed upon the floor and cinders in suitable proportions. In

.practice a composition of one part of cement to six of cinders has been found suitable. This foundation layer is applied to the floor supports to any desired thickness according to the requirements. This thickness may run from five or less inches to ten or more, as may be desired. Upon the foundation layer is imposed a layer of material called the leveling or scratch coat, which ordinarily is composed of sand and cement in suitable proportions. A sand and cement composition consisting of one part of cement to three or four of sand has been found satisfactory. This layer may vary in thickness and ordinarily it does not exceed three-quarters of an inch. The purpose of this layer is to attain and fix the desired standard of level of the surface of the finished floor. Upon the leveling or scratch coat the terrazzo or crushed marble and cement composition is placed and leveled off to form the floor surface. To economize on the marble constituent of this terrazzo composition which is expensive, it is custo first place upon the leveling or tomar licoat a layer of grit and cement in the scratc proportion of one part of cement to two to to crack and ordinarily when such cracks .use of wooden strips. The anel areas thus.

develop they are irregular in shape and in line of cleavage of the floor. To repair such a crack when it develops is difiicult and expensive, and by reason of the irregularity of outline and of direction thereof a repa r of such cracks leaves an unsightly patchwork appearance no matter how carefully the repair may be effected.

It has been attempted to overcome this, .objection by laying the floor in panels, ac-

cording to which method the floor area is laid out ina regular panel scheme by the formed are then filled in with the terrazzo cement composition. According to this method, however, the panel areas are filled separately, alternate panels in adj acentrows bemg filled successively and left to become 1 set or hardened, usually for a days time,

and then the wooden strips are removed and the alternate intermediate panel areas are filled. This method is expensive and slow,

and moreover in case of expansion and contraction above referred to seams-sometimes open up between adjacent rows of panels or between adjacent panels, and the proximate edges of adjacent panels tend to separate apart from each other. This causes the particles ofterrazzo or crushed marble to break off along the edges ofthe seam separating adjacent panels leaving a rough irregular line of opening between the proximate edges of adjacent panels. This is unsightly and unsatisfactory, and when such seams open up sufficiently to require repair by grouting it leaves an unsightly, irregular patchwork appearance which is exceedingly objectionable.

To overcome these defects I propose to employ strips of metal which become embedded into the floor composition when it is laid and which rem permanent metallic retaining walls for the edges of the floor material bordering seams along which any cracks tend to develop in case of contraction and expansion of the building framework or floor supports. The permanent metallic retaining strips may be employed in various. shapes and forms and applied in various relations within the spirit and scope of my invention, and in the accompanying drawing I have shown, various shapes and forms as well as arrangements thereof as illustrative of the principles of my invention.

Referring specificallyto the drawing, Fig. 1 shows at 10 a portion of a composition place 'fiooring which may be formed or constructed of any suitable or desirable composition and disposition thereof. For illustrating purposes I have shown a suitable floor beam or su porting structure 11 upon which is d a base or foundation fi ling or layer 12, which for illustrative purposes may be composed of cement and cinders. Upon this base or foundationlayer I place a leveling orscratch coat or layer 13 of sand or grit andcement composition. Upon this leveling coat or scratch coat I place the metallic strips which constitute an important feature of my invention. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the metallic strip is'in the form of a sheet l l which is bent or folded upon itself at the longitudinal medial line there of to form the fold 15, which extends at right angles, or substantially so, to the laterally extending edge flanges 16. In place of foldinlg the strip in the manner above described may employ the form of strip shown in Figs. 2 and 5 wherein the strip is folded along its medial line to form the fold 17 which extends at right anglesto one edge flange 18, but the other' edge 19 extends down into the coating or leveling layer of the floor structure while the laterally extending edge 18 is positioned upon the sur face of such coating.

In Figs. 2- and 6 I have shown another form of strip suitable for use in carrying out my invention wherein I employ two angle-shaped strips having the edge portions 20, 21, of each respectively disposed at right angles to each other with the vertical edges 21 of the pair of strips placed fiatwise against each other with the lateral edge portions 20 thereof extending in opposite directions from each other and resting upon the surface of the leveling or scratch coat 12. It is obvious that other forms of metallic strips may be employed and still attain the objectsv and purposes of my invention. These strips may be disposed or arranged in any desired relation. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the strips are placed in parallel relation to each other and extend throughout the entire dimension in one direction,of the floor area. As indicated in Fig. 7 the strips may be arranged at right angles to each other to form rectangular shaped panel areas. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 8 the strips may be arranged in diagonal relation with respect to each other to form a panel effect of diamond shapes. Other arrangements may be employed to produce any desired rectilinear geometric figures of panel effects. After placing the panel strips in the desired position and relation upon the leveling or scratch coat of the flooring the terrazzo cement composition is then applied in the nsual manner. If desired, and to economize 1n the se of the crushed marble constitu- Fig. 1, or

' such out, a preliminary layer 22 of suitable composition, such for example, as grit and cement, may be laid over the leveling or scratch coat so as to bury the laterally extending portions or edges 16, v18, 20, of the paneling strips thereby forming an anchorage therefor. Upon this layer of filler material the terrazzo or crushed marble and cement composition 30 is then applied so as to bring the wearing surface thereof to ap proximately the level of the upper edge 01 fold of the metallic strips. The wearing surface of the floor is then smoothed or finished off with finishing or polishing machines, the action of which upon the upper edge of the strip in case a folded strip is employed is, if desired, to grind through the fold so as to separate the two portions of the strip into severed or separated strips.

Ordinarlly in a case of fracture through expansion or contraction of the building framework the line of fracture follows the line of least resistance, which, in the use of my invention, is afforded by the metallic paneling strips. In such case should a seam open up through expansion or contraction seam will be disposed between proximate edges of adjacent panels, that is, along the lines defined by the edges of the metal strips which run to the wearing surface of the floor. In such case the metal strips which have become permanently incorporated into the floor structure form retaining walls for such proximate edges of the panels and prevent the terrazzo or crushed marble particles from breaking off, hence leaving straight lines of fracture, whether such lines present diamond shaped panel effects as in ig. 8, rectangular shaped panel effects as in Fig. or straight strip appearance as in other form or outline as determined by strips... In such case should grouting be necessary to fill the seams such grouting will be applied along straight regular lines which do-not give the appearance of rough irregular outline and unsightly patchwork.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide a floor structure which gives the appearance of a paneled effect and ,wherein each panel area or the edge of such area isretained and the terrazzo edges thereof are prevented from breaking off and becoming unsightly by means of the metallic retaining strips whlch become incorporated as permanent parts of the floor structure, thereby directing any tendenc for seams to form along stralght lines of racture which may be easily repaired without leaving an unsightly patchwork effect.

While I have. referred to a particular method of building up the composition flooring it is to be understood that in the use of the panel strips of my invention I do not desire to be limited or restricted in this rethe arrangement of the metal spect as said strips may be likewise employed where other compositions and methodof laying the same to form composition floorings may be employed in connection with such strips.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention, and various arrangements for carrying the same into practical effect. and operation, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is, i

1. In a terrazzo floor structure, thecombination with a terrazzo flooring composition and a base composition upon which the terrazzo flooring composition is spread, of a metal plate or strip vertically disposed and embedded in and anchored at its lower portion by said base composition, having its upper edge extending to and flush with the wearing surface of the terrazzo flooring composition, said strip or plate forming a retaining and protecting wall for the terrazzo flooring composition.

2. In a terrazzo floor structure, the combination with a terrazzo flooring composition and a base composition upon which said terrazzo flooring composition is spread, of a metal plate or strip vertically disposed-and having its upper edge extending to and flush with the wearing surface of the. terrazzo flooring composition, said strip having a laterally extending lower edge portion embedded in and anchored by the supporting base composition.

3. In a terrazzo floor structure, the combination with a terrazzo flooring composition and a base composition upon which the terrazzo flooring composition is spread, of metal strips or plates having vertical portions 'dis- 105' posed flatwise against each other, the upper edges of said vertical portions extending to and flush with the wearing surface of the supporting base composition.

4. In a terrazzo floor structure, the combination with a terrazzo flooring composition and a supporting base composition uponllo which the terrazzo flooring composition is spread, of metal strips or plates having vertical portions disposed flatwise against each other, the lower portions of said strips or v plates having laterally .extendin flanges permanently embedded in and anc ored'by the sup orting base composition, the upper edges 0 the vertical portions of said strips extending upwardly through the terrazzo composition, and lying'flush with the wear- 126 ing surface thereof.

5. In a composition flooring, and in comblnationwith a surface composition and a supporting base composition upon which the surface composition is spread, of angle 130 strips or plates arranged in pairs, the memhers of each pair having vertically extending portions disposed fiatwise against each other, and having their upper edges extending' upwardly through the surface composition and lying flush with the Wearing surface of the latter, the lower laterally extending portions of said angle strips or plates projecting'in op osite directions from each other, and embe ded in and anchored 10 by the supporting composition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 17th day of November A. D., 1919.

BRUNO 0. A. DE PAOLI. 

